Terms of reference concern Environmental-Conservation group
The Environmental-Conservation group is considering dropping out of the Sea to Sky Land and Resource Management Plan.
"Many members of the constituency are very concerned with some of the things in the terms of reference, to the point of not even participating," said Mitch Rhodes, president of the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment, after a constituents meeting this week.
Of concern to the group specifically is the condition that there will be no new protected areas created in the LRMP process, as well as the ambiguity of the province’s Working Forest Initiative.
The group makes up one of the 12 seats at the table, which is scheduled to start working on a plan to manage public land and natural resources in the Sea to Sky corridor this weekend.
The project manager of the Sea to Sky LRMP, Dave Tudhope, who was at the constituents meeting this week, was surprised the group would consider giving up their seat at the table.
"I knew there were some concerns... I didn’t know that it would cause them so much discomfort that they would question whether or not to participate," he said.
He is hoping that the problem can be resolved before or during the first LRMP public forum meeting on Saturday, Sept. 28 in Squamish.
Rhodes outlined the groups’ concerns.
In 1996 a Protected Areas Committee submitted recommendations to the provincial government for new protected areas in the Sea to Sky corridor.
The government accepted that package while making it clear that there would be no new protected areas created as part of the LRMP process.
"The government made that quite clear from the get-go," said Tudhope.
Rhodes admits that constituents were aware of this but still ruling out new protected areas altogether may not be conducive to achieving agreement for a land and resource management plan.
"Maybe to come to consensus that should not be taken off the table," he said.
The second area of concern deals with the Working Forest Initiative.
Previously crown land outside of parks, private areas and protected areas fell under the Forest Land Reserve.
That designation has not been used for a few years now said Tudhope.
Instead the province is fleshing out the Working Forest Initiative.
Rhodes said there was concern at the constituents meeting that the reach of the Working Forest Initiative was not quite clear.
If it becomes legislation then it would effectively wipe out the consultative process, rendering it a waste of time, he said.
The group is concerned about the scope of the Working Forest Initiative and wants clarity on the subject before committing time and energy to the process.
Tudhope said those two issues are on the agenda for Saturday’s meeting as part of the terms and reference portion of the meeting.
And Rhodes is hoping that the ‘what ifs’ can be clarified before going ahead with the process.
Based on the outcome of Saturday’s first LRMP meeting, the Environment-Conservation constituents will decide if they want to stay in the LRMP process or not.
The Environment-Conservation group has one seat at the public forum table. That seat will be filled by Johnny Mikes and his alternate will be Spencer Fitschen.
There will be 12 seats at the public forum, including seats for Energy, Labour, Recreation (Motorized), Recreation (Non-motorized), Forestry and Tourism representatives.
The representatives will be expected to participate in at least 24 meetings, not including sub-committee meetings and constituent meetings.
"That’s tough when people are not getting paid," said Rhodes.
Although some members at the table may be paid by industry to sit there, that will not be the case for the Environment-Conservation group.
"It’s not a level playing field," said Rhodes.
Originally local government in the Sea to Sky corridor was to share one seat at the table.
Instead they have chosen not be a part of the public forum. They will provide comments to the pubic forum and to the government for consideration.
First Nations has yet to join in the process, although Tudhope said the government is still working towards that goal.
To date, LRMP plans have been approved for over 70 per cent of the province.
Unlike previous LRMPs, some of which had up to 60 different voices at the table, there are limited seats and tighter timeframes and deadlines for LRMPs that are getting underway.
The first meeting, which is at the Best Western in Squamish, runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and is open to the public.
The plan development is scheduled to take place over the next year, for government approval in December 2003.
The 12 seats making up the Sea to Sky LRMP are:
• Agriculture
• Commercial Recreation
• Energy
• Environment-Conservation
• Environment-Fish and Wildlife
• Forestry-Non-Tree Farm Licensed area
• Forestry-Tree Farm Licensed area
• Labour
• Recreation-Motorized
• Recreation-Non-motorized
• Subsurface Resources and Aggragates
• Tourism
